three little girls and female teacher in kindergarten

The key to finding a high quality early learning environment that meets the needs of your child and your family is about being informed and asking the right questions.  While it is important to have a good feeling about the environment and the caregiver(s) that will be providing early learning experiences for your child, it is also essential that you know the rules governing child care and early learning.

Child care rules will be changing on August 31, 2015 when the new Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 comes into effect.  This Act replaces the outdated Day Nurseries Act (DNA)and establishes new rules governing child care in Ontario.

So what does this mean?

The new provisions will strengthen compliance and health and safety in child care settings and help parents make informed choices about their options.

This new Act applies to: unlicensed child care, home child care providers contracted by a licensed agency, licensed home child care agencies and licensed child care centres.

Those exempt from the Act include: nannies or babysitters who provide care to children in their own home, care by relatives, camps that only care for children aged 4 and over, programs with a primary purpose of academic or skill based recreation, and private schools that only care for children aged 4 and over.

The new rules with a couple of exceptions come into effect on August 31, 2015.

For more information view The New Child Care and Early Years Act: What Providers and Parents Need to Know here: http://www.ontario.ca/document/child-care-rules-child-care-and-early-years-act